The Philippines and the United States of America on Friday signed the Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy or the 123 Agreement in San Francisco, California.
The 123 Agreement lays the legal framework for potential nuclear power projects with US providers. It aims to facilitate Philippine-US cooperation on the safe and secure use of nuclear energy, taking into full account the standards and safeguards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency and in accordance with respective national laws, international agreements and regulations.
Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla signed the agreement on behalf of the Philippines as chair of the Philippine Nuclear Energy Program InterAgency Committee (NEPIAC), while Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed on behalf of the US.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing ceremony.
The 123 Agreement will allow the transfer of information, nuclear material, equipment and components directly between the Philippines and the US or through authorized persons to engage in transfer activities, which will support potential nuclear power projects with US providers.
The agreement will also pave the way for streamlining the licensing requirements for the private sector with respect to investments on nuclear-related intangible transfers of technology (ITT).
Lotilla said the signing “is reflective of an enduring cooperative effort between the Philippines and the US on harnessing civilian nuclear power for sustainable development.”
He said that from the time the Philippines under President Ramon Magsaysay joined in 1965the Atoms for Peace Program initiated by US President Dwight Eisenhower until the current Marcos leadership, the two countries manifested the intention to enhance the level of cooperation and strengthen partnership across the spectrum of nuclear energy applications both for power and non-power uses.
“Beyond nuclear power applications to combat climate change, the new agreement facilitates cooperation in a wide array of other peaceful uses of atomic energy — all supportive of various Sustainable Development Goals — including plant breeding, livestock production, insect pest control, soil and crop management, water use efficiency, plastic waste disposal, food safety, health and medicine,” Lotilla said.
Negotiations for the 123 Agreement, which took about seven months, were led by Department of Energy Undersecretary Sharon Garin and US principal deputy assistant secretary of State Ann Ganzer.
Other members of the Philippine negotiating team included the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of American Affairs, Department of Science and Technology-Philippine National Research Institute, Department of Trade and Industry-Strategic Trade Management Office, and the Department of Justice, while the US Negotiating Team includes representatives from the US-DOE National Nuclear Security Administration, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the US Embassy in Manila.
